Ivy put her hand on his and smiled. “I’m sorry,” she said embarrassed. “I was supposed to leave this at home. I know that this ruins everything, but I can’t seem to help it. I’m in a mess right now.” Her hands trembled.
“Relax, Ivy. It’s just the champagne. It does that to some people.” He wiped her tears again. “I hate to see you being put through this. You’re too young to have drama like this. You should be happy right now. There are so many great things going on your life.”
“I know, but nothing makes up for the way I feel.” Her tears begin to dry. “I’ve tried to just push it to the back of mind and focus, but I can’t. You just don’t know how badly I am hurting inside.” Her eyes met his briefly.
Her words reminded him of a more complicated time in his life when the woman he loved sat across from him baring her soul and telling him how badly he had hurt her. It also made him see how foolish he was to let her just walk out of his life the way that Grey was allowing Ivy to do.
“I didn’t realize how foolish I had been with someone I used to love until just now.” Unsure if he should have said his feelings aloud, Nicola moved closer to her. “I want you to listen to someone with more experience under his belt then you will probably have in your entire innocent existence.”
“Alright,” Ivy said listening carefully and hanging on to his every word.
“Grey doesn’t realize how badly he’s hurt you. In fact, I bet you nine times out of ten that most men don’t realize what they have done to a woman until well after she has packed up and left. Please, just give him a chance to realize his wrongs, and in time he will make them right. Don’t rush him to that point though. Allow him to make it up to you on his own time and on his own terms.”
“I’m glad that you have faith in him, because I don’t.” She cleared her voice. She could see a shame in his eyes that was not evident before. “Have you treated a lot of really good women really wrong? Is that where all this wisdom comes from?” She hated to pry but she might as well considering he was in her business.
“Yeah. I’ve treated a few really good women really badly and a few really bad women even worse.” He felt no ties to Ivy and was able to be truthful without fear of rejection. “I’m what you call a…dog.” They both laughed. “No, really I am.”
“I don’t think you are.” Ivy was sincere in her observation but lacked the experience to identify his true intentions.
“I know you don’t. That’s why I’m telling you, so that I can protect us both. I’m one of those guys that will say whatever I can to get you in bed, and then do whatever I can to get you out of my life.” He looked her in her eyes although the discomfort of his truth made her nervous. “And I can’t believe that I just said that aloud.” He smiled and sighed simultaneously.
“No. I can’t believe that you’re that type of man,” she said in a near whisper avoiding eye contact.
“Believe it.” He took a sip of champagne and sat back on his couch. “Women like you that have been faithful and loving and devoted for years though, make me realize how much damage can be done from trying to feel that insatiable appetite we as men have. It’s like we need real love to survive, but we will settle for sex to get by. I’ve been getting by a long time.”
That was the first time he had ever heard himself admit to his wrongs. Before he had always made excuses for his lack of interest after sex or blamed the woman for their problems. Now, suddenly a burden seemed to be instantly lifted off of his shoulders just by telling a woman the truth. Ivy was just so easy for him to talk to tonight.
“One day you’ll meet someone capable of helping you survive, and you won’t need to get by anymore.” She patted him on the back and sat back in the couch sighing with some relief. His blatant honestly was very refreshing.
“If I ever meet a woman like you…beautiful, smart and ambitious, I am sure that I will be happy. I just hope that she comes when I’m near sixty and ready to settle down.” He winked at her.
“Lover boy,” Ivy said blushing.
The evening had taken a sudden change. Nicola’s plan was to wine and dine her right out of her clothes, but her honesty and sincerity made him ashamed of his intentions. Instead, he opted for real conversation with what he had found to be a real woman. Although her beauty mesmerized him and her sensuality aroused him, he would respect her and the man to whom she invisibly belonged.
“So what do two people do for five years?” Nicola tasted the lobster on his plate midway through their conversation. He hadn’t eaten all day, and his stomach had tightened with nervousness as the night progressed.
“You get to know each other. You take trips, fight, make love, help each other solve problems, and help each other avoid problems. You grow together…” The thoughts made her homesick for Grey.
“I bet he knows you inside out. I know after five years I would.” He could almost see himself with her for the rest of his life for a moment as the candlelight brightened her face.
“He knows me pretty well. He would probably freak out if he knew what I was doing right now.” She smiled devilishly.
“What?
